An alien in our area!. Review on Yamaha Libero

A LIBERO IN MY MIND?

Some months ago, when I had been spending my summer holidays looking at the vehicles going through the highway from the balcony and I found one bike different, with the looks of somewhat an alien - that was Yamaha Libero, the second bike I got myself on after getting the driving licence and that was not a bad experience to drive Libero. I am not some Yamaha fan, but this one was not bad.

I believe that it may have been designed to bring on the fight against Victor, Passion and Splendor, but it I don't think that this rised to the expectations of the company. What I can see is a modified Crux with a bit more power and a lower mileage.

The salesmen in the showroom said the same thing I mentioned - both Crux and Libero are almost the same as long as the inside is concerned. They were more interested in talking about the RX-100 rather than this one and saying that it costs much less.

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?

Actually, the looks are not very bad, but it's head light should have been better, it didn't seem to match the remaining body even if they lamp is something unique - just look at Fazer, it seems to have the same bat-like head like cut into two to give it a style of the two eyes of an alien.

The rear light looks too poor and the colours of the bike should have been better with some stylish labels all around for a typical Yamaha looks. The fuel tank looks too small, but can handle 13 lts with the reserve at 1.70 lts. I will always love to keep looking at the bike from the sides as it has quite a lean, but powerful look unlike the other members of the same class.

The total weight of the bike is supposed to be 124 kg which may sound much higher to a 106 cc bike, but it is a well balanced one as we can balance it quite easily. What I thought about this bike after seeing it for the first time and what can I feel?

7.5 bhp sounds a bit less for a Yamaha bike, but as Fazer is there, those who are hungry for more power can go for that and mileage lovers for Crux (only if you have an oath to take a bike only from Yamaha). With a number of 100 cc bikes released - TVS Centra, Bajaj CT-100 etc, I wonder if this bike will still be going well.

CONFUSION IN TRANSMISSION

The bikes goes through the corners quite well and shock absorbers are impressive. The gear change is not going to give anything good for new bikers and those who ride other 100 cc bikes as the gear shift pattern is 1 0 2 3 4 towards the back unlike the usual 1 2 3 4 or 4 3 2 1 in the other bikes which brings the problem of getting into the neutral gear regularly while changing from first two second or vice versa.

The fuel efficiency is said to be at 85 kmpl at standard conditions and I never put any petrol into my friend's bike and so I cannot tell the mileage. But he was not the happiest man alive for sure.

We know that Yamaha is for power and not on conservation of petrol. Priced at above 45,000, the bike didn't give that much of an acceleration and pick up as I expected from it hearing about it.

Actually, I could go only till 60 km/h in the bike and it didn't sound much good. Even Centra and Splendor accelerated better and had been speeding up better. But I do love taking turns with the bike. But if I change the gear down, I find myself in big trouble.

THE CONFUSION CONTINUES

It is said to take 7-8sec to get to 0-60kmph and it is expected to go upto 110 kmph as the maximum speed which I doubt highly after riding it through the city as well as the highway. The seats should have been better and the fuel tank is annoying me while hitting the brakes - it is almost upwards - I doubt why it is so!

But one problem is that if you consider power, there is Fazer and Rx-100 or RX-135 (Second hand available at a cheap price) and there is Crux for those who looks for better mileage and less price - what is this one for? To compete - how? Is there any shortcuts to success? I have to say that the Liberos are being replaced these days - with Passion, Centra and most of all by Pulsars!

THANKS FOR READING THE REVIEW. DO RATE IT AND LEAVE A COMMENT BEHIND BEFORE YOU DIVE OUT OF THE REVIEW